Ziobro, Melissa The Battlin' Bastards of Bravo

Bravo Company, 1/506th, 101st Airborne, in Vietnam and Beyond

The Battlin Bastards of B Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, fought daily against a well-trained and determined enemy during their tours in Vietnam, 196871. Before the war, these men were brothers, sons, sweethearts, husbands, and fathers. Some were athletes, some musicians. Some were just out of high school, some in established careers. There is no monolithic Battlin Bastard, but when they joined the 101st Airborne Divisionone of the most highly decorated divisions in the United States Armyin Vietnam, they united, fighting for each other, and fighting to return safely home. It was difficult to put their experiences behind them. As Bravo veteran, Terry Taylor, recalled, I learned at the age of 18 that you dont have to die to go to hell. Vietnam was hell on earth. And yet despite the obstacles, many of these men built successful lives post-war. Decades after returning from the war, when the men were ready to cautiously revisit their experiences, the Bastards started stateside reunions. From these reunions came the wish to share their stories with the world, to honor, to educate, and to inspire. The result is this book, written from interviews and diligent archival research, in which the surviving Battlin Bastards tell their stories of combat in their own words, and honor those who sacrificed for their country and their unit.